The bass effects pedal combines built-in compression, mix tone shaping and the ability to mix a clean and distorted signal. Which, all told, is an impressive number of jobs for a little purple box to be doing.

The Winter NAMM Show in Anaheim at the end of January is the scene for the release of the new extraordinary EBS Billy Sheehan Signature Drive pedal. A pedal developed by EBS in close co-operation with legendary bassist Billy Sheehan.

"This pedal is a distillate of several important principles in the signal chain for bass. Compression, distortion, tone-shaping and blending all together." Billy Sheehan

The new pedal is based on the concept of mixing together a clean signal with a distorted signal to be able to preserve low frequencies and find a perfect balance between distortion and definition.

The option to activate a built-in compressor makes it possible to keep the note differentiation clearly audible even when heavily distorted.

The pedal also offers unlimited pre-post mix tone shaping, through the unique features of a clean loop and a drive loop. Insert any other pedal in each loop to 'pimp' the effect into your own signature effect! For example, add a graphic EQ to the drive to change the character of the distortion. Or add your favourite compressor to the Clean Loop instead of using the built-in offered in the pedal.

On the new extended sized stomp box there are controls for Drive (gain for the overdrive engine), Tone (sets the frequency scoop for the drive), Level (sets level for drive channel post Drive Loop and pre final compressor) and Clean (sets level for the clean channel, post Clean Loop and pre final compressor).

The pedal offers three different compression modes: High, Mid and Off. The level of compression on the Mid setting can be determined by the user through an internal trim pot.

The pedal is due to start shipping out simultaneously with the NAMM Show, and will arrive in the UK early February 2013 priced at £179 RRP inc VAT.

AT NAMM? BILLY SHEEHAN WILL APPEAR FOR A SIGNING AT THE EBS STAND, HALL B #5391, ON FRIDAY, 4PM, CELEBRATING THE RELEASE OF THE NEW PEDAL!